THE EFFECT OF CULTIVATION ON THE PROPERTIES OF A RHODOXERALF FROM THEWHEAT SHEEP BELT OF NEW-SOUTH-WALES

Adjacent cultivated and never-cultivated areas of land were compared f or a variety of chemical and physical properties to determine the effe ct of traditional cultivation practices on an Australian Rhodoxeralf. Those properties which changed most as a result of clearing and cultiv ation were pH, electrical conductivity, organic carbon, nitrogen and p rofile macroporosity. These changes are due to various processes inclu ding soil mixing, fertilizing, crop-growing and an altered water balan ce. The heterogeneity of the sites was also investigated in order to a scertain the effect of cultivation on the natural variability of the s oil. The cultivated soil was found to be much less diverse than the ad joining virgin soil. Whether this is of ultimate benefit to crops is o pen to conjecture.